Wednesday 18th December – Call You and Yours: More Money for Grassroots Sports

Sport England have just announced that it is to invest £493 million over four-years to keep the inspiration of London 2012 alive and help fulfil Lord Coe’s pledge that the Games would get more people – young and old, women and men – playing sport.

They say that 15.5 million people aged 16 and over are now playing sport every week. That’s 750,000 more than a year ago and 1.57 million more than when London won the Olympic and Paralympic bid, with large increases in Olympic sports such as cycling and sailing.

The strongest growth has been among women, with an increase of more than half a million in the past year helping to cut the gender gap in sport. Over half a million women have taken to their bikes, playing netball, running, swimming and going to the gym in the past year helping to cut the gender gap in sport.

Are you one of those people who’s been inspired by the Olympics to take up a sport? If so what kind of sport do you do now? Or would you like to do more sport but can’t afford to do it, or perhaps you don’t have facilities nearby? If you’re involved with one of the small clubs who hope to benefit from this money, what do you hope to achieve with it?

3 thoughts on “Wednesday 18th December – Call You and Yours: More Money for Grassroots Sports”

I have just listened to Simon on Radio 4’s You and Yours, which I happen to listen to regularly on my journeys to London. Undoubtedly Simon was one of the best speakers I have ever heard contributing with some excellent points well made and articulated. Julian Worricker the presenter also allowed Simon and other contributors to make their points and interacted intelligently with them, as usual.
I guess Simon often feels like a ‘lone voice in the wilderness’ and practical support difficult to engage. As you may know I don’t live in or even near Otley and often work away so cannot make the gatherings and AGMs etc. However I wear the vest with pride and acknowledge that Otley is a disproportionally (for its size) successful club. Although ‘have you thought of’ probably doesn’t help, I risk the following:

– Have local club and other sports reps been invited to discuss at the AGM or have Otley reps gone to theirs? The retired members could be mobilised as they have time and might appreciate the challenge.
– Has ‘match or at least part funding’ been considered (shows real commitment) also approach to lottery?
– Has a long term ‘business case’ been prepared, to support an application for the ‘location, configuration, utilisation, management, maintenance etc. been formulated? Happy to assist with this aspect if necessary.
– Could an existing facility be expanded better than creating a new one?
– Have the Lizzie and Rachael connections been brought to the fore? In a previous life I started a ladies training night at Valley Striders and it is still going 20 years later. In the meantime they got reps on the national and world stages, including age group records, some of which they attribute to the humble beginnings of some ‘speed work’ out of Scothall leisure centre. The point is you don’t always need a lot to go with some support and encouragement.

Upcoming Events

Club training runs – these are club training runs on local training routes in several pace groups, both on and off road groups available. If you are new to running you may want to try our Absolute Beginners group and if have any questions about our club runs contact info@otleyac.org.uk Please check the event calendar for any clashing events where club runs may be affected.

Club training runs – these are club training runs on local training routes in several pace groups, both on and off road groups available. If you are new to running you may want to try our Absolute Beginners group or if have any questions about our club runs contact info@otleyac.org.uk. Please check the event calendar for any clashing events which may affect normal club runs.

Club training runs – these are club training runs on local training routes in several pace groups, both on and off road groups available. If you are new to running you may want to try our Absolute Beginners group and if have any questions about our club runs contact info@otleyac.org.uk Please check the event calendar for any clashing events where club runs may be affected.

Club training runs – these are club training runs on local training routes in several pace groups, both on and off road groups available. If you are new to running you may want to try our Absolute Beginners group or if have any questions about our club runs contact info@otleyac.org.uk. Please check the event calendar for any clashing events which may affect normal club runs.